TNS travel to Cefn Druids on Boxing Day knowing the JD Cymru Premier title race is well and truly on.

The Oswestrians slipped to a shock 2-1 defeat at home to Cardiff Metropolitan on Friday with Connahs Quay Nomads and Bala Town now within striking distance of top spot.

Manager Scott Ruscoe revealed he was considering shuffling his pack for the trip to the Rock.

“I am tempted to make some changes for Boxing Day,” said the Saints manager.

“I will have a look at maybe changing it up because you can’t keep flogging the same players but they’ve been brilliant over the last six or seven weeks.”

Ruscoe revealed his players remained hungry for honours ahead of a hectic festive schedule.

“You can see it in training that there’s a real hunger there and it won’t stop us going and doing it all again over Christmas and New Year too.

“With Friday night and Nomads overturning their result, the two games against Cefn will have to be ‘statement’ victories because our lead at the top is only a point now.”

Ruscoe insisted the Park Hall camp remained upbeat and had taken positives from defeat to Cardiff Metropolitan.

Ruscoe said: “There’s still lots of positives to take, even though we lost to Cardiff Met.

“Sometimes you learn more from your defeats, you get to have a look and regroup. It’s just set back. There’s no panic and you could see right into the 94th minute that we were moving the ball around and trying to open them up.”

However the Saints chief warned his side had to react well against the inform Druids or find themselves embroiled further in a title race.

“There’s no panic on my behalf,” said Ruscoe. “Sometimes you lose and you can’t win every game but we’ll have to have a look at it and how we can freshen it up.

“Cefn have been on a very good run, they play a solid 4-4-2, they’re a threat with pace in behind and they will be thinking that if Cardiff Met have done a job, so can we.”